Unbuttoning device



Dec. 3, 1935.

J. M. WHELTON UNBUTTONINGZ DEVICE Filed Sept. 25, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet l A/l/E/v 70/1 Slaw? mum tn. a h' 1935. J. M. WHELTON UNBUTTONING DEVICE Filed Sept. 25, 1933 ZSheets-Sheet 2 AWE/V7175.

U eWwnl/iwg Patented Dec. 3, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE United Shoe Machinery Corporation,

Paterson,

N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application September 25, 1933, Serial No. 690,819

26 Claims.

This invention relates to devices for unbuttoning shoes and is herein illustrated as embodied in devices designed for unbuttoning the uppers of shoes which have been buttoned and lasted and have come to the operator upon the last.

In the manufacture of buttoned shoes the upper is usually buttoned prior to lasting and in that operation the buttoned upper is conformed tightly to the last with the result that the fastening supplied by the button or buttons is placed under considerable tension. As the manufacturing process progresses it becomes necessary to unbutton the upper while it is still tensioned upon the unyielding last, an operation requiring the application of considerable strength and the exercise of skill in order to avoid tearing out the buttonhole, ripping off the buttons, or otherwise damaging the upper. Many womens shoes are made which have one or more cross straps detachably secured by buttons. In this case also the operator frequently does the unbuttoning with his fingers, primarily by pulling upwardly the buttonhole flap or the strap. This way of going at it, how-ever, brings the buttonhole directly into engagement with the flat under side of the button, where the greatest resistance to the unbuttoning operation is afforded, and puts a serious strain upon the thread or staple which has been used to attach the button. Frequently the unbut- 30 toning operation occurs immediately before the last-pulling operation. An important field of use for the present invention, accordingly, is unbuttoning lasted uppers preparatory to the lastpulling operation and the specific embodiments of the invention herein shown are designed for such use.

One object of the present invention is to provide an improved device for unbuttoning shoes by means of which the work may be done more expeditiously and with less danger of damage to the shoe.

This object may be accomplished, in accordance with a feature of the invention, by providing the device with a button-engaging means or abut ment, together with cooperating jaws for gripping the button hole flap adjacent to a buttonhole, means being provided for producing relative movement between the jaws and the buttonengaging means to bring the flap into engagement with the rounded edge of the button and then past the button.

In accordance with still another feature of the invention, means are provided for moving the button-engaging means to bring the button into edgewise relation to the buttonhole flap, thereby facilitating the spreading of the the rounded edge of the button.

Another feature of the invention consists in a device embodying a single operating member arranged in its continuous movement in one direc- 5 tion to bring about the desired sequence of related steps. For example, a handor treadleoperated lever is herein shown as acting in its initial movement to bring the pair of cooperating jaws into gripping engagement with the buttonhole fla further movement being effective to move the closed jaws to pull the buttonhole over the button. In one embodiment, the movement of the lever is also effective to tilt the button toward the buttonhole, to bring it in edgewise posi- 15 tion, before the flap is pulled over the button.

The mechanism of my invention may be embodied in a hand-operated or in a treadle-operated device in accordance with the requirements of the use to which it is to be put or the convenience of the operator. It is herein shown as embodied in two generically alike but specifically different devices which may be installed adjacent to last-pulling machines and to which the operator may present the buttoned and lasted upper just prior to the last-pulling operation.

These and other features of the invention will be best understood and appreciated from the following description of two preferred embodiments thereof selected for purposes of illustration and shown in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a View in side elevation of one embodiment of the device, showing a lasted shoe in section in the position which it occupies when presented to the device;

Fig. 2 is a similar fragmentary View showing the parts in the position which they occupy near the conclusion of the unbuttoning operation;

, Fig, 3 is a fragmentary view in front elevation; 40

Fig. 4 is a view in side elevation of another embodiment of the device of alternative construction;

Fig. 5 is a detail View in section on an enlarged scale onthe line V-V of Fig. 4; and

Fig. 6 is a sectional View of a lasted upper and the coacting parts of the device during the unbuttoning operation.

Referring first to Figs. 1 to 3, it will be seen that the movingparts of this embodiment of the device are operated by a hand lever 26 and are supported upon an overhanging bench bracket I0, being carried by two journal studs l2 and M which project from the face of the bracket.

A lifter lever [B is pivotally mounted upon the buttonhole by rearmost stud I4, extending upwardly and forwardly therefrom and provided on opposite sides with stop lugs IT and I8 which cooperate with fixed ears projecting outwardly from the frame It and serving to limit the amplitude of swinging movement of the lever I6 about the axis of the stud I l. The lever I6 is forked in its upper end and provided near its end on its left-hand branch, as seen in Fig. 3, with a projecting shoulder I9 for a purpose which will be presently described. The lower end of the lever I6, which acts as a lifting lever, is widened and extended slightly below its journal stud I4 where it is provided with a forked lifter comprising a plate 20 secured to the bottom of the lever I6 by screws and being tapered and forked at its forward end to form a thin jaw 22. The jaw 22 of the lifter plate 22 is shaped to be inserted between the strap or flap of the lasted upper and the body of the upper which is to be unbuttoned. It will be apparent that when the lever I6 is swung in a clockwise direction from the position shown in Fig. l to that shown in Fig. 2, the stop lug I8 limiting this movement, the forward end 22 of the lifter is swung upwardly about the axis of the bearing-stud I4.

An upper I532 lasted upon a last I04 is shown in Fig. 1 and is represented as having a strap III!) in which is formed a buttonhole which is buttoned over a button I06 secured to the upper. In

- presenting such an upper to the device the forked end of the lifter is positioned beneath the strap Hi6 and upon the surface of the upper in position to straddle the shank of the button I06.

Pivotally mounted upon a pin 24 extending transversely between the forks of the lever I6 is the hand lever, 26 having a forwardly extending arm 2? and a rearwardly extending arm 28. The forwardly extending arm 21 is provided with a stop lug 29 which engages with the shoulder IQ of the lever I6. A tension spring 30 is connected to the front end of the arm 21 and at its lower end to a stud 32 projecting outwardly from a boss 34 on the face of the bracket I0. The action of the spring 3!] maintains the stop lug 29 in engagement with the shoulder I9 and tends always to swing the lever I6 forwardly or in counterclockwise direction, establishing its initial position by holding the stop lug I1 in contact with the corresponding ear on the frame Ill.

The rear arm 28 of the lever 26 is connected by a pivot pin it and link 42 to the head 44 of a downwardly extending rod .45 encircled by a compression spring 38 and fitting telescopically at its lower end within a sleeve 50 having a collar 52 about its upper end. The sleeve 50 at its lower end is pivotally connected by a stud 54 to an arm 56 which in turn is pivotally connected by a pin 58 teen ear I5 projecting outwardly from the lever It at a point opposite its journal stud I i. The forward end or jaw 69 of the arm 58 is forked and otherwise shaped to correspond with the forked end 22 of the lifter, these two elements cooperating as a'pair of jaws to grip the material of the end of the strap Hill to be operated upon.

The rod 46 carries a transversely extending pin 62 which projects outwardly through a, slot 84 .in the sleeve 50 and limits the relative longitudinal movement of the rod and sleeve. The tensicn spring 3%), in rocking the hand lever 26 forwardly or in counterclockwise direction, tends always to lift the rod 45 and the initial position tilted position (Fig. 2) by the abutment 4| of the of the latter is determined by the engagement of the pin 62 with the upper end of the slot 64.

downwardly to some such intermediate position as that indicated in Fig. 2 and downward pressure is yieldingly imparted to the sleeve 50 through the compression spring 5-8 to move the forked jaws 22 and 60 into gripping engagement with the strap Iiii! interposed between them.

A swing piece 35 is pivotally mounted on the stud I2 and, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, has a downwardly extending arm 36 provided with a finger 3'? which passes between the forks of the jaws 6F and 22 into position to engage the rear side of the button and act as a limit stop, abutment, or positioning member therefor when the upper is presented to the device. The arm 36 also has an inclined abutment surface 4| which cooperates with the vertical surface of the finger 31. The swing piece has also a rearwardly extending arm 38 which is received in a slot in the lower end of the rod it and is arranged to engage an ear 39 projecting outwardly from the bracket I2 and thus to limit the rocking movement of the swing piece in a clockwise direction. The arm 33 is also provided with a pin 66 which projects into a slot 5% in the rod 46 and determines theinitial position of the swing piece by engaging the lower end of this slot. After the upper has been presented in the position shown in Fig. 1, and. as the rod 48 is depressed in the operation of th device, and the lost motion of the slot 68 has been taken up, the swing piece is rocked in a clockwise direction and the button is tipped forwardly and its head is positioned with its rounded edge toward the outtonhole flap.

In operating the device above described, the

operator presents the buttoned and lasted upper shank. The upper is moved rearwardly until the button engages and is positioned with respect to the jaws by the finger 31 acting as an abutment or stop. In this position the forked jaw 60 of the arm 56 is located above and also straddles the button and the fin er 3? of the swing piece engages the rear side of the button I96. Having thus presented the upper, the operator swings rearwardly the hand lever 2E, pressing down the rod 26 and yieldingly forcing the sleeve 59 downwardly and by this means depressing the forked jaw 66 into gripping engagement withthe strap IE5! near its end. When the strap Hill has thus been securely gripped, the swing piece 35 is moved forwardly, by engagement of the upper end of the slot (iii in the rod with the pin The finger 31 on the arm 36 thereupon tilts the button I06 to the left, as indicated Fig. 2, to position the edge of the button'to' the buttonhole and to hold it there. Further movement of the hand lever 25 in the same direction thereupon swings the lifter points spaced from each side of 'thebutton, with the result that the curved surface of the button spreads open the buttonhole finally the lifter jaw 22 is effective to pull the buttonhole past the button." The button is meanwhile held in its fingeron the swing piece 35 which latter hasnow The material of the strap I90 about as f 7 reached its final position determined by the engagement of its arm 38 with the ear 39. In the final part of the continued progressive rearward movement of the hand lever 26, the stop lug [8 of the lifter lever is carried into engagement with its limiting ear on the bracket ill, the unbuttoning being complete. Upon releasing the hand lever 26, the parts are all restored to their initial position by the action of the springs 38 and 48, the upper is released, and the device is in readiness to be again used.

The embodiment of the device, shown in Figs. 4 to 6 and which includes the same broad features of the invention exemplified in the form already discussed, will now be described. This comprises an upright frame or stand 18 adapted to be secured to a bench and having formed integrally therewith a horizontally disposed boss 12 adapted to provide a bearing for the operative instrumentalities of the machine. In this bearing is rotatably mounted a tubular shaft 14 carrying at its outer end a head 16 having a portion thereof extending to form the relatively fixed jaw 18 of a cooperating pair which are designed to grip the strap or flap having the buttonhole. The jaw 18 is provided with a transverse button-engaging stop or abutment 19, shown in Fig. 6 as normal to the jaw face and integral with the jaw 18, and designed to engage the head of the button and act as an abutment while the buttonhole is pulled over it, as will presently appear. The lower and movable jaw 89 is pivotally supported in the head 16 by a pin 8| and is formed as a lever having a rearwardly extending arm 82. This is connected through a pin 83 to a toggle link 84 and a tension spring 85 tends at all times to straighten the toggle and thus swing the movable jaw 88'downwardly into its open position.

The toggle link 84 at its inner end is connected by a pin 86 to the outer end of an operating rod 88 which is arranged to slide longitudinally or axially in the tubular shaft 14. The rod 88 extends entirely through the shaft 74 and is engaged at its rear end by a yielding contact plunger 89 carried in the lower end of an operating lever 98 which is journaled to swing about a horizontal journal 9| set in the frame 18. The operating lever 98 carries a cam roll 92 at its upper end which is arranged to run upon a cam surface 93 formed upon the rear arm of a cam lever 94. The cam lever 94 is mounted upon a journal pin projecting from the upper part of the frame 16 and is connected at its forward end to a treadle rod 95. A tension spring 96 serves at all times to rock the operating lever 99 in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 4, and hold the cam roll in contact with the cam surface 93. This cam surface is designed, early in the throw of the lever 94, to rock the operating lever in a clockwise direction, advancing the rod 88 toward the left, breaking the toggle in opposition to the tension spring 85 and swinging the jaw 89 upwardly into closed position to grip the work near the buttonhole. This movement is effected through a train of mechanism which includes the contact plunger 89 backed up by a strong compression spring and this introduces a slight yield into the closing action of the jaws.

The tubular shaft 14 is provided near its inner end with a pinion 91, the latter being formed integrally with a collar 98 and secured therewith to the shaft by a set screw. The pinion 91 meshes with the teeth of a rack 99 mounted to reciprocate vertically in bearings provided therefor in the frame 19. At its upper end the rack 99 is pivotally connected to a link 13 and this in turn has a pin-and-slot connection to the cam lever 94. The slot provides a lost-motion connection between the two permitting the treadle lever to move suflioiently to rock the operating lever 99 and close the jaws i88il before any vertical movement is imparted to the rack 99. When the lost motion has been taken up, the rack is moved upwardly and the pinion 91 rotated to turn the shaft M and the whole jaw assembly through substantially 180.

The operation of the device will be best understood by reference to Fig. 6, wherein are shown the jaws 18 and 88 in the position which they occupy toward the conclusion of the unbuttoning operation. The lasted upper is presented to the device so that the end of the strap I99 or the flap in which the buttonhole is formed is inserted between the open jaws, the parts being in the position shown in Fig. 4. The operator then depresses the treadle rod 95, first rocking the operator lever 90 to close the jaws into gripping relation with the end of the strap as already explained. Continued depression of the treadle thereupon begins to move the rack 99 upwardly and turn the jaw assembly, bringing the stop surface 19 of the upper jaw into abutting relation to the top of the button I06 and thus resisting displacement by the strap I09. With the button so held, continued turning movement of the jaws acts to spread the buttonhole over the circular periphery of the button and thus complete the unbuttoning operation. During this turning movement, the relative positions of the jaws and the abutment surface 19 in spaceare continually changing. When the treadle rod is released, it is drawn up by a spring (not shown) and the lever 94 is rocked in a clockwise direction (as viewed in Fig. 4), first rotating the jaw assembly to its initial position and then, when the lost motion has been again. taken up, reversely rocking the operating lever 99 and releasing the rod 88 so that the spring 85 may again open the lower jaw 89 in readiness for another operation.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. An unbuttoning device comprising means for gripping a buttonhole flap by engaging opposite faces of the flap, button-engaging means, and means for producing relative movement between said gripping means and said button-engaging means to bring said flap into engagement with the under side of the button and then past the button.

2. An unbuttoning device comprising cooperating jaws for ripping opposite faces of a buttonhole flap adjacent to a buttonhole, button-engaging means, and for producing relative movement between said jaws and said button-engaging means to bring said flap into engagement with the periphery of the button at the buttonhole and then past the button.

3. An unbuttoning device comprising means abutting a button upon an upper at a point away from the upper, to hold it, and gripping means for engaging the buttonhole flap in spaced relation to the button and pulling the flap outwardly while the button is so held.

4. An unbuttoning device comprising cooperating jaws operative'to grip the buttonhole flap of an upper adjacent to a button fastening the upper, angularly movable means for engaging the button on a side thereof away from the upper, and means for forcibly moving the closed jaws with the flap engaged between them to pull the flap toward the other side of the button while the button is so engaged.

5. An unbuttoning device comprising a thin jaw arranged to be positioned between the buttonhole flap and the body of a lasted upper adjacent to a button fastening the same, a jaw cooperating with the thin jaw to grip the flap, an abutment associated with the jaws for engaging the button, means for closing said jaws to grip the flap, and means for imparting a movement of translation .to the jaws and the gripped flap to press'said button toward the abutment and to pull the flap outwardly over the button.

6. A unbuttoning device comprising cooperating jaws for gripping the buttonhole flap of a lasted upper adjacent to a button fastening the -upper, means engaging the button on a side thereof away from the buttonhole flap, and

-mechanism for first closing the jaws to grip the flap and then bodily moving said jaws and buttonhole flap past the button positioned by said engaging means.

7. An unbuttoning device for buttoned uppers comprising a pair of jaws cooperating to grip the buttonhole flap of the upper, a button stop, and a single operating device movable first to close said jaws and then bodily to move the jaws in closed condition relatively to said stop.

8. An unbuttoning device comprising cooperating jaws for engaging the buttonhole flap of an upper adjacent to a button fastening the upper,

means engaging the button on a side away from the upper, and mechanically operated mechanism for first closing and then bodily twisting said jaws.

9. An unbuttoning device comprising an oscillatory head carrying cooperating jaws for engaging the buttonhole flap of a buttoned upper, cam-operated means for controlling the position of the jaws, including a rod axially movable with respect to the head, and means for twisting the head while the jaws are closed.

an operating rod movable axially therein for closing-the jaws, and mechanism including a treadle lever arranged to move said operating rod and to oscillate said shaft with said jaws. i

12. An unbuttoning device comprising a stand presenting a pair of horizontally disposed jaws, a treadle lever pivotally mounted on the stand,

a rotatably mounted tubular shaft journaled in said stand and carrying said jaws at its outer end, j aw-closing mechanism including a cam lever and an operating rod slidable within said shaft, and jaw-twisting mechanism including a rack and a pinion connected to said shaft.

13. An unbuttoning device comprising cooperating jaws for gripping between them the buttonhole flap of a lasted upper adjacent to a but- 7 ton fastening the uppenbutton-engaging means movable to bring said button into edgewise rela-' tion to said'flap, and means for causing relative ,movementbetween said button-engaging means and said jaws to cause the buttonhole to pass out over a rounded part of the button;

14. An unbuttoning device comprising athin jaw arranged to be positioned between the buttonhole flap and the body of an upper adjacent to a button fastening the same, a cooperating jaw acting to grip the flap, said jaws being mounted for movement toward and away from each other and for movement of translation, means associated with the jaws for engaging the top of the button and tipping one edge thereof toward the upper, and means for thereafter 'moving the jaws in gripping relation, while the button is so tipped, to pull the flap outwardly and off the button.

15. An unbuttoning device comprising a projecting forked jaw whereby a buttoned upper may be engaged and located with reference to any selected button fastening it, a jaw cooperating therewith to grip the buttonhole flap, a member for tilting the button toward the upper, and means producing relative movement between the closed jaws and said button-tilting member while the button is held by the latter.

16. An unbuttoning device comprising a forked jaw mounted in position to straddle the shank of a button fastening an upper, a stop for engaging the advancing side of the head of the button as the upper is presented to the device, means cooperating with said jaw to grip the buttonhole flap and for thereafter moving the stop to tilt the button toward the upper while the fiap is so held.

17. An unbuttcning device for buttoned uppers comprising a single actuating element and the following mechanism arranged to be operated thereby in the proper sequence, viz., coopcrating jaws for gripping the buttonhole flap between them, a button-tilting member, and mechanism for moving the closed jaws with respect to said member.

18. An unbuttoning devicelcomprising jaws for gripping the buttonhole flap of a buttoned upper, a button-tilting member, and means operative in one progressive movement to cause said de vice to grip the buttonhole flap,-to tilt the button, and then to unbutton the upper.

19. An unbuttoning device for buttoned uppers comprising a lifting lever having a jaw shaped to straddle the shank of a button fastening the upper, a jaw cooperating therewith to grip the buttonhole flap of the upper, a button-' ositioning member, and mechanism for moving D the lifting lever away from the body of the up per when the button has been positioned.

2i). An unbutto-ning device for buttoned uppers comprising a horizontally disposed plate having a forked jaw at its outer end shaped to straddle the shank of a button fastening the upper, a button abutment above said plate, a second jaw cooperating with the'first to grip the buttonhole flap adjacent to the button, and means for swinging the outer end of said plate towardsaid ab x5331) to unbutton the upper.

'21. An unbuttoning device for buttoned uppers comprising a pair of pivotallymounted arms" provided at. their outer ends with cooperating jaws for gripping the buttonhole flap of the upper and being normally maintained in substantially horizontal spaced position, a button stopforf engaging one side of the button, and mechanism for first swinging said arms'toward each other to grip the work and then moving them relatively to said button-stop. V

22. An unbuttoning device forbuttoned uppers comprising a frame, a lever pivoted thereon and carrying cooperating jaws for engaging the buttonhole flap of the upper, and a button stop mounted on the frame and arranged to tilt the button in a direction away from the fulcrum point of the lever while the jaws are moved relatively to the stop.

23. An unbuttoning device for buttoned uppers comprising cooperating jaws movably mounted and shaped to engage the buttonhole flap of an upper, means for determining the position of a button with respect to the jaws, and an operating lever yieldably connected to one jaw and movable first to close the jaws and then, at a predetermined degree of closing presssure, to move the closed jaws with the flap relatively to said positioning means.

24. An unbuttoning device for buttoned uppers comprising forked cooperating jaws movable relatively to grip the buttonhole flap of an upper adjacent to a button fastening the upper, a button stop arranged to pass through the jaws behind the button and to tilt the button toward the open end of the jaws, and means for moving the jaws with the gripped flap relatively to the stop while the button is held tilted thereby.

25. An unbuttoning device for buttoned uppers comprising a jaw-carrying lever having an arm pivotally mounted thereon and provided with a second jaw, a button stop, and an operating lever pivotally mounted on the jaw-carrying lever and having a yielding connection with said arm whereby, in the continued movement of the operating lever, the jaws are first closed and then moved bodily with respect to said stop.

26. An unbuttoning device for buttoned uppers comprising a frame, a lever pivotally mounted thereon and carrying relatively movable jaws shaped to engage a buttonhole flap of the upper adjacent to a button fastening the upper, a button stop pivotally mounted on the frame and extending initially into one of said jaws to abut a button therein, an operating lever mounted on the jaw-carrying lever and having a yielding connection with one of said jaws whereby the jaws are closed in the initial movement of the operating lever and then moved simultaneously, and connections between said operating lever and said button stop whereby the latter is swung toward the open end of the jaws as they are moved with the gripped flap.

- JOHN M. WHELTON. 

